Your Florida-friendly NatureScape is built on this foundation. Putting the right plant in the right location will save you time, money, resources and headaches in the long run. Choosing many different types of plants adds visual impact, provides wildlife habitat, and strengthens your NatureScape's overall pest resistance.

Plant Selection

To help you determine what plants should go where in your NatureScape, take another look at your site analysis. Full sun areas receive 6 hours, partial shade areas receive 3-6 hours, and full shade areas receive less than 3 hours of sunlight throughout the day. So, you will want to:

Non-native plants are not all bad. Exotic plants come from other parts of the world and were introduced to Florida on purpose or accidentally. Many exotic plants may require more fertilizer application, watering, and pest control than native plants.

Avoid invasive, exotic plants. These fast-growers go wild in some places because boats, wind, water, birds, and other animals easily carry their seeds. As they take over, they reduce native habitat, choke waterways and interrupt water flow in our stormwater control system. Few Florida pests and diseases affect them. Some types of invasives are so aggressive that they are prohibited to plant, possess or propagate. The high cost to taxpayers for governmental invasive plant control grows every year. A list of invasive exotic plants is maintained on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council website (FLEPPC.)